Information and Communication Technology 10 Module Documentation
Kenny Jamieson
UBC ETEC 565a
November 20, 2016
Target Audience and Organization – ICT 10 Making Games Unit
The Information and Communication Technology 10 module that I have developed is designed for the first unit of the course – Making Games. This unit focuses on teaching students the basics of computer programming, 2D animation, and video game development through working with the online program, Scratch. This unit would be run as part of the larger Information and Communication Technology 10 course that would be offered through my current school, Riverside Secondary School. The course would be open for students in grades 9 and 10 as an elective. The students who choose to enroll in this course would ideally have an interest or passion in various aspects of technology. This particular unit would be of interest to those students who want to learn computer programming or video game development, but who have no prior experience with this subject. Though this course and unit have been designed to be offered fully online, it could have success in a flipped classroom model where students have the ability to watch the unit video lessons at home and then use their class time to work on their various assignments and get support from their teacher or peers.
WordPress and Edmodo – Impacts on Designing the Unit
This particular unit will make use of both WordPress and Edmodo, that were originally used to design the course. These two platforms both offered different tools that could be used in conjunction with each other to build a complete and well-developed unit. WordPress allowed for the course material to be open access and easy to view on multiple different platforms. The WordPress platform, also made it simple to create a logical layout and flow for the unit. Students can easily follow the order of items in the menu to progress naturally through each unit. The ability that WordPress has to create multiple pages for one particular unit, also helps in minimizing the amount of content that students are exposed to at any one moment. This will help students better manage their learning as they will not be overloaded with content or resources. The structure and ordering of the pages on WordPress also makes it easy for students to go back and view previous content if they need to. In addition, WordPress has a simple method for embedding or uploading content to the site. This was a necessary function for creating the unit as a majority of the content that has been designed to support student learning is in a video format.
All of the videos that are found in the Resources Week 1 – Week 3 page were created using the screen capture software – Camtasia. This tool made it simple to record demonstrations on screen while simultaneously recording audio. As Camtasia is able record both audio and video, it makes the content that is uploaded to WordPress usable for students who benefit from either visual or auditory learning styles. Camtasia also has many built in features that can be used for formatting the video to make it easier for students to follow. Features such as the Cursor Spotlight, were used often to highlight the different steps that were being demonstrated in each video.
For this unit, Edmodo was used to create folders for students to hand in assignments, forums for students to respond to discussion posts, and quizzes that students can complete as a form of assessment for learning. There were various reasons why these particular parts of the unit were built into Edmodo and not WordPress. Edmodo requires students to create an account which makes it easier to track student progress. When students respond to a forum post or submit assignments, it will be clear which student is responsible for that item. In addition, as students require an account to log into the Edmodo portion of the course, their privacy will be better protected if they are publishing work. As WordPress is an open platform, it would not be suitable for this part of the unit. Edmodo also offers different built in functions, such as a quiz creator, that made it a logical choice to be used in conjunction with WordPress. Through the use of both platforms students have the ability to progress through the course at their desired pace, easily keep track of due dates and unit expectations, and engage with other students and their instructor privately. By utilizing the various features of multiple programs, it was possible to build a complete unit.
Stakeholder Analysis
When designing this unit, the needs and requirements of the learners were the main focus. The unit was designed to be both simple enough to be an introduction into computer programming, thus using a block-based tool such as scratch, while challenging enough that students would find the assignments and program engaging. This unit takes a project-based learning approach, and therefore the outlines for the assignments that students will be assessed on have been purposely kept vague. This is done so that students feel the freedom to engage with the material in a method that is interesting to them, and that their creativity does not feel limited. The unit also took the approach to engaging students in two different forms of programming, in this case being video game development and animation. Most students can feel a connection to either video games or animation, either through games they currently play or movies they may now enjoy or enjoyed in their childhood. The intention is that most students will have experience with playing video games and may be motivated to make their own. The unit also makes use of forums for students to share their creations. This would be used as a motivating tool as students will feel a strong desire to create something that they are happy with and that impresses or engages their peers.
In this unit, the instructor’s involvement may vary depending on how the course is utilized. If the unit is delivered in a flipped classroom style, the instructor would need to be available for regular classroom support. This method would allow the teacher to provide ongoing feedback and support to the students as they progress through the unit. Students would be able to ask for help on a regular basis and not have to wait for the instructor to be available online to receive a response. That being said, the course is designed to be delivered in a fully online mode. In this, the instructor would play a predominately facilitator role. The instructor’s main objective would be to provide students with feedback through the discussion forums or through student posts on Edmodo. Instructors would need to have a regular online presence in order to help facilitate discussions and moderate discussion forum posts. However, they would have a much more passive role compared to a flipped classroom. Instructors would need to provide prompt feedback on discussion posts and assignment submissions in order for students to be sure that they are understanding the material correctly. Though a majority of the instructor’s work is front-end loaded, they would need to ensure that the videos on the WordPress site are continuing to work and would need to update those videos when new versions of Scratch are released. Instructors would also be responsible for creating new videos to be uploaded to WordPress if it appears that there is a large gap in student learning compared to the desired learning outcomes.
This unit would fit in well with the objectives of multiple stakeholders. From a school organization level, Riverside Secondary is a technology focused school that utilizes a digital immersion 1:1 program to engage its students. As this unit is available online, students would be able to engage with the unit content through their personal device. It would also fit in with the school’s goal of encouraging students to engage with technology in a creative manner. As the unit uses the free online platform, Scratch, there would be no additional cost to the school for this unit. In addition, the impact on the IT support staff at the school would be minimal. The teacher would be responsible for creating and maintaining the WordPress and Edmodo sites and would be able to provide support for students while they work with Scratch. As Scratch is an online program, there would be no requirements for the IT staff to install the program on student devices. From a district standpoint, the course would come with no additional costs or strains to the organization. No new classroom space or materials are required as students at Riverside will already have their own personal device. This unit would also fit in well with the district and provincial government goals of introducing students to coding. As the unit encourages students to create their own games and animations, the learning objectives of the unit fit in well with the new BC curriculum that encourages students to be creative. The unit will allow students to further develop their creative and critical thinking skills while they learn a new computer programming language and design their own projects.
The design and structure of this unit would also satisfy many different members of the educational community. The course and unit make use of open access platforms which will allow for students to easily access all portions of the course content. As the platforms are available for free and online, there is no requirement on the individual school servers to host the LMS. However, the drawback of this is that if either platform (WordPress or Edmodo) change their user agreements or decide to no longer offer their program, the course and unit would no longer be available for students. This was a risk that was worth taking as both Edmodo and WordPress are well established platforms with a large user network, and the likelihood of either no longer being available is minimal. As this unit utilizes two different LMS platforms, it not only helps to protect the privacy of students by having students submit assignments and post discussions in Edmodo, but it also allows for the course content to be open to anyone who wishes to visit the WordPress site. This would allow for any user to engage with the course content and use it to support their own learning or teaching practice. The learning resources provided are not restricted to just Riverside students, and can be used by anyone as they are offered through WordPress. The students who are enrolled in the course will have their privacy protected, as anything that involves students using their personal information is managed through Edmodo. The instructor has ultimate control over who is enrolled in the Edmodo portion of the course.
Ultimately, many different stakeholders were considered when designing this unit and course. Attempts have been made to satisfy a wide range of users, while minimizing the impact on the various organizations tied to the course. The course and unit have succeeded in meeting the unique needs to the learners, providing a well-developed resource for instructors, and developing 21st century skills that meet the current provincial curriculum and educational goals.